Banner - District One History

1936 - 1940
TABLE OF CONTENTS
  1. October 1936 Secretary's Letter
    District Locals
  2. 22nd District Convention 1938
  3. Do You Remember When
  4. Two Men In The Booth
  5. September 1939 District Constitution Approved
  6. March 1940 23rd Convention Call-McNabb Attack
    Local 175, 30th Anniversary
  7. June 1, 1940 District Locals
  8. Did Harry Moyer Have a Union Card in 159? (Added 10/4/99)
  9. December 1940 Anti-Picketing Law-Insurance Plan

October 1936 District Bulletin

SECRETARY’S LETTER: For years a quarterly report, in typewritten or mimeograph form, has been sent to the secretaries of our organizations to be read at their meetings. Two years ago a slight departure from this method was introduced in the way of a single printed page. Being read by the secretaries at the various meetings throughout the territory they served the intended purpose for those members attending. However, there are many who cannot, for various good reason, be in attendance and realizing this, the Kansas City convention took steps to still further improve medium of information and instructed this office to change the entire make-up and past practice of circularizing only the local secretaries. In the future the District Bulletin will be issued in tabloid form and each individual member will receive his personal copy which will allow him to read it at his leisure and convenience.

District No. 1 includes the following Locals:

OREGON

Klamath Falls and Medford - Local No. 672 - Parker Bundy, Sec.
Portland - Local No. 28 - C.M. Campbell, Sec.
Portland Local No. 159 - E.M. Hazelwood, Sec.
Eugene - Local No. 675 - Harold Delarn, Sec.
Astoria - Local No. 446 - L.A. Pierre, B.A.
Salem - Local No. 613 - L.G. Mitchell, Sec.

WASHINGTON

Anacortes - Mt. Vernon - Local No. 351 - Thomas Watters, Sec.
Centralia & SW Washington - Local No. 401 - W.A. Kirkpatrick, Sec.
Yakima - Local No. 254 - Robert M. Hammond, Sec.
Aberdeen-Hoquiam - Local No. 429 - Dale Trew, Sec.
Walla Walla - Local No. 234 - E.L. McBoyle, Sec.
Tacoma - Local No. 81 - Frank J. Murtough, Sec.
Wenatchee - Local No. 651 - G.H. Schubert, Sec.
Bellinghan - Local No. 117 - Fred Graham, Sec.
Bremerton - Local No. 445 - Jerry Clark, B.A.
Spokane - Local No. 93 - W.J. McCarthy, Sec.
Seattle - Local No. 154 - Geo. J. Kalushe, Sec.
Spokane - Local No. 185 - H.W. Sanders, Sec.
Olympia - Local No. 344 - D. Eldredge, Sec.
Everett - Local No. 180 - Fred Tucker, Sec.
Tacoma - Local No.175 - W.G. Sloan, Sec.
Seattle - Local No. 15 - Basil Gray, B.A.

IDAHO

Pocatello - Local No. 463 - Edward McGarvey, Sec.
Lewiston - Local No. 663 - Clifford Hall, Sec.
Boise - Local No. 91 - Les Brown, Sec.

MONTANA

Missoula - Local No. 339 - Chas. F. Adenwald, Sec.
Helena - Local No. 255 - W.R. Hardgrove, Sec.
Great Falls - Local No. 213 - J.H. Case, Sec.
Butte - Local No. 94 - Ed D. Dirran, Sec.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Vancouver - Local No. 118 - Walter Blake, Sec.
Vancover - Local No. 348 - E.J. Williams, Sec.
Victoria - Local No. 168 - C. Rau, Sec.

This was a total of 31 Locals in the District compared to 13 in 1998. In 1936 O.M. Jacobson was District Secretary. Quotes from October 1936: "Mayor Dore of Seattle, addressing the Washington State Federation of Labor at Vancouver, Washington, last July, said:

"Anybody voting for anyone but Franklin D. Roosevelt for president must have sawdust in his head instead of brains."

"This year 1936 in Yakima marks the finish of the first 25 years since Local 254 was granted a charter, and we are proud to say the Mr. Dee Hinds, who signed the original charter is still with us."

"Local 154 has adopted the "Pittsburgh plan" regarding new members entering this Local. The initiation fee now being $250.00, payable at the rate of $1.00 per week for a period of five years, after which the men are eligible for journeymen cards."

"In Spokane we have had one stage show and another, one will play the Fox the early part of October for three days. The business at the Orpheum was very good during the engagement of "Circus Follies" at that house."

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22nd District Convention 1938

The 22nd Convention of District One opened on Friday, June 3, 1938 at the Hollenden Hotel in the City of Cleveland. Every local was represented by at least one delegate. For three days prior to the opening of the International Convention, problems confronting our organization were discussed and plans to advance the interests of the general membership were given the utmost consideration.

District Secretary Jacobson called the Convention to order and introduced International Representative Raoul, appointed by the International President Boewne to provide over the sessions, who declared the convention opened and called for the reading of the credentials.

Every local in the District had delegates present and it was gratifying to note not one delegate failed to answer roll call at any session. Secretary Jacobson was re-elected by acclamation as were all members of the Advisory Board.

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July 1938 District Bulletin

Do you remember when the following signs appeared in almost every dressing room corridor of vaudeville theatres?

"If you want to find out who the Property Man is, just start something.")

"Don't send your laundry our until the first show is over. There's a reason."

"Try your gags out by telling them to the Flyman. He's a tough audience."

"If your act don't go, blame it on the musical director."

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October 1938 District Bulletin

British Columbia Projectionists win demand for "Two-Men" in the Booth.

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September 1939 District Bulletin

District Constitution and By-Laws Approved.
Death benefit Plan Endorsement Held in Abeyance.

The revised Constitution and By-Laws of District One, as printed in the March Bulletin have been approved by the International office. In the same issue there was printed a plan for District Insurance. In the referendum election on this question it was overwhelmingly adopted by a vote of three to one.

Secretary Treasurer Krouse, commenting on the Death Benefit fund plan says: "This matter must be further studied by the General Office before approval can be given as to an insurance proposition of that nature which embraces, as it does, several states and the province of British Columbia."

Disappointing as this will be to the large majority that voted for this measure there is the hope that objections, evidently apparent to the International Office, will ultimately be overcome, and the plan put into operation. A tabulated record of the vote will shortly be mailed to each local.

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March 1940 District Bulletin

The 23rd Convention of District One will convene in the Kentucky Hotel, Louisville, Kentucky, Friday, May 31, 1940 at 10 A.M.

James McNabb Brutally Attack

Seized by three men, dragged by force and violence into a building at White Center, a suburb of South Seattle, James McNabb Business Agent of Local 154, reported to union officials and members that on Friday, March 1, he had been brutally beaten and choked by the scab-herders in charge of the theatre there and forced to sign a statement that he would stay out of White Center.

McNabb had been distributing hand bills describing correctly the status of the show hours, to the anger and indignation of T. Coy and Ernest Lindgren, co-partners of the Center Theatre, who had violated an agreement with the union some weeks previously, but has since obtained an injunction from an accommodation judicial oligarch named Wilkins, elevated to the bench by the decree of Governor Martin. Coy, Lindgren and a burley doorkeeper named Seger were all named in the McNabb complaint.

Local 175, 30th Anniversay

The 30th Anniversary dinner dance was held at the Club Moderne at Midnight, January 24, 1940.

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June 1, 1940 District Bulletin

TOTAL NUMBER OF MEMBERS AND LOCALS
IN DISTRICT NO. ONE

Oregon

Klamath Falls & Medford - Local 672 - 14 Members
Portland - Local 28 - 28 Members and 159 - 68 Members
Astoria - Local 446 - 11 Members
Eugene - Local 675 - 13 Members
Salem - Local 613 - 12 Members

Washington

Vancouver, Camas, Longview, Kelso, Centralia and Chehalis
Local 401 - 24 Members
Anacortes and Mt. Vernon - Local 351 - 20 Members
Aberdeen and Hoquiam - Local429 - 9 Members
Spokane - Local 93 - 11 Members and 185 - 22 Members
Tacoma - Local 81 - 7 Members and 175 - 33 Members
Seattle - Local 15 - 40 Members and 154 - 110 Members
Walla Walla - Local 234 - 16 Members
Bellingham - Local 117 - 12 Members
Bremerton - Local 445 - 9 Members
Wenatchee -Local 651 - 13 Members
Olympia - Local 344 - 7 Members
Yakima - Local 254 - 15 Members
Everett - Local 180 - 8 Members

Idaho

Idaho Falls - Local 629 - 10 Members
Pocatello - Local 463 - 8 Members
Lewiston - Local 663 - 9 Members
Boise - Local 91 - 30 Members

Montana

Great Falls - Local 213 - 15 Members
Missoula - Local 339 - 8 Members
Billings - Local 240 - 16 Members
Helena - Local 255 - 8 Members
Butte - Local 94 - 18 Members

British Columbia
Vancouver
Local 118 - 17 Members and 348 - 152 Members
Victoria - Local 168 - 18 Members

This was a total of 822 Members in District No. 1

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Portland, Oregon - Sellwood Bee - Friday, August 2, 1940

Wrapping text on right side
WAS HARRY MOYER A MEMBER OF THE IA

The following article was in the August 2, 1940, Sellwood Bee which read:

New Sellwood Theatre a
Union House States It's Owner

Relative to a statement in a recent advertisement in this paper questioning the labor status of the New Sellwood Theatre, Harry Moyer, the proprietor, states that he has been a 100% union man for 22 years, has never operated any theatre other than a UNION HOUSE. Is personally a member in good standing of Moving Picture Machine Operators Union, IATSE, and has been for the past 20 years. (See Membership Card)

It was 20 years ago, he states, that he, himself, caused the old Sellwood Theatre to become a Union House, after having operated it for some time as a non-union house.

Any statement that has been made regarding the New Sellwood Theatre as not being a UNION HOUSE is untrue, he says, as it was entirely built by UNION LABOR under his personal supervision.

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December 1940 District Bulletin

"Anti-Picketing Law Voided" Oregon's union control law, otherwise know as the Oregon anti-picketing act was declared unconstitutional by the State of Oregon supreme court on October 22, 1940 in a 5 to 1 decision. The opinion reversed Circuit Judges Robert Tucker, James T. Brand and Arthur D. Hay, who held the law constitutional. The High court held that these laws were in violation of the free speech and free press amendments to the federal constitution.

"District Insurance Plan Approved" The District Death Benefit Plan will become operative January 1st. The insurance laws of the State of Washington would allow us to go as high as $1,000. On the other hand, the law in the three other states and in British Columbia, while reading almost the same as in Washington, limit such plans to $300.00.

If the sum is exceeded, certain rules, the creation of a legal reserve, etc, must be adhered to. The matter was submitted to the District Advisory Board with the suggestion that the will of the District be carried out as far as possible. They have instructed this office to take the necessary steps to put the Death Benefit Plan into operation. To meet all insurance requirements in the various sections of the District the sum was reduced to $300 instead of the $500 voted. The International Office was advised of this change and has approved the plan. In the place of a $.65 assessment upon the death of a member it will now be $.40. All local unions will shortly receive detailed information and instructions relative to this matter. The Death Benefit Plan as amended, will remain in force until the next District Convention when the delegates will decide whether it is to be continued.

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